Electric press iron



Patented July 4, 1922.

A. J. lSHIRK AND S. COHEN. ELECTRIC PRESS IRON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I, 1920.

ART J. SHIRE AND SOLOMON COHEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., SSGNORS TO ABRAHAM S.

, ISERSON, Oli' NEW YORK, -I\l'.

ELECTRKC EHESS RON.

' Application filed April l,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that ART J. SHIRK and SoLo- MON CDHEN, citizens of the United Sta-tes, andresidents ot the city of New York, in the countyof New York and State of'New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Electric Press Irons, of which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relates to electric press irons and heating means therefor. @ne of the' objects of this invention is to provide a device of the above type characterized by simplicity of construction and efficiency of action in a high degree.

Another object is to provide a practical device of the above type in which the parts are unaiected by long-continued practical use. Another object is to provide a device ot the above type in which the chance of accidental grounding or short-circuiting is reduced to a minimum. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. i v' Certain features herein shown and described are shown, described and claimedin our co-pending application Serial No. 345,- 328 filed in the United States Patent Oiice December 16, 1919, and accordingly are not claimed herein. i

lV ith the above exception, the invention accordingly consists in the features ot construction, combinations of elementsY and arrangement ot' parts which will be exemplified in the apparatus hereinafter described and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

ln the accompanying drawings` in which isfshowii one of various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of'a stand and switch mechanism embodying` our invention with an iron in position on the stand and sho-wing the paits ot' quick-make and quick-breakv device iii on position and showing furtherthe plug means on the iron in the shielded socket members on the stand;

Fig. 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view out along line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the means for shielding the ksocket terminals on the stand and the means for operating the switch mechanism through insertion ot' the plug rterminals on the iron into the socket terminals; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional View in.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July e9 1922.

1920. Serial N0. 370496.

- plantent along line 3 3 of F ig. 1 and showing the simplified construction of the quickmae and quick-break switch mechanism; an

lfig. 41 is a cross-sectional view of the switch mechanism with the parts ot' the quick-make and quick-break devicein off position.

Referring in detail to the drawing the stand is seen to comprise a base 10 preferably of metal and a support 11 tor the electric iron 12 or the like apparatus mounted on pillars 13 upstanding from said base. .Extending from the base and secured thereto by means such as screws, clips or rivets l-l is a bottom or support 15 preferably of metal for the casing 15a removably secured to said bottom and in which aie mounted the quickbreak switch mechanism and the shielded terminals which will now be described.

Secured within the casing adjacent the top thereof and insulated therefrom as bv the block of insulation 16 are the switch clips 17, 17 adapted to be connected to the electric supply as by means of the lead wires 18 which pass-into the casing through a threaded bushing` 19 suitably insulated Jf'rom the casing as by the insulating lining 20. The

switch clips may be secured in any suitable` manner. Vlhus they may/be provided with attaching ianges 21 through 'which pass the screws 22. Pivoted in operative relation to said switch clips `in the manner hereinafter described is a pair of switch blades 30, 30. These switch blades are jointed at their rear end by a cross piece 31 of insulating material. l.

The actuating means for the switch mechansm andthe means for connecting the electric supply to the iron will now be described and in connection with the description the fool proof character of the construction in l connection with preventing short circuits through tampering will be brought out.

The casing is formed with a vertical hood 23 in which is embedded a` block of insulating material 2-1 having Jformed therein a pair oic spaced vertical recesses 25, 25. lVithin each ofthesc recesses is a metallic socket member 2G, 2G each iorined preferably from two pieces of sheet metal 2G and 2Gblining the walls .of said recesses. ()iie of said pieces such as 26a is formed with a flange 26 whereby it is secured within the casing to an insulating, block 27 disposed immediately beneath the block of insulation 16. The other piece such as 26D extends further into the casing and is formed at the lower end thereof with an upturned portion 28 between the walls of which are pivoted as by means of the pins 29, 29 of conducting material the switch blades 30, 30. The sockets 26, 26 are thus in electrical Contact with the switch blades and serve both to guide the contacts on the iron and also to connect the electric supply thereto as hereinafter described. A. vertical push rod 35, 35 operates inthe shielded sockets 26, 26 and has its lower end formed with a pro- `jection or ear 36, 36 whereby it is pivoted as by pins 37, 37 to the ends of an equalizer block 32. Except for its connection to the push rods 35, 35, this block 32 is otherwise looseand has an opening 32 therein wherebythe bolt 33 carrying the push spring 34 which is of diameter smaller than said openlng may pass therethrough so that when either one of the-vertical (push rods 35, 35 is pushed down, the block lis tilted about the bolt as will be readily understood. To cooperate in the quick-make and quick-break operation of the switchV a spring 38 is secured at one end to the cross piece 31 and at the other to the insulating block 32 as`at 39. An auxiliary flat blade spring 38 may be secured underneath theA spring 38 to norvmally press against the cross-piece 31.

The sockets 26, 26 are preferably dared at their top end as at 40 to facilitate the entry thereinto of the male contact members 43, 43 provided in any suitable manner on the iron or other such electrical apparatus adapted to be used in connection with the stand. Thus, the rear of the iron may be provided with a hood 42 extending therefrom within which are secured the male contact members 43, 43 suitablydnsultated from the hood as at 44. bers are of course electrically connected in any suitable manner to the heating element in the iron (not shown).

The operation `of the stand and switch mechanism will now be understood. In the normal off position shown in Fig. 4, when the iron 12 is not onthe stand, the spring 34 is extended with the block 32 in .the highest position of its vertical travel. The spring 38 is then above the line of centers 46 from the pivotal axis of the switch 'blades to the center 40 and thus pulls upwardly on the rear end of the switch blades 30, 30 and thus 'maintaining them "out of contact with y the switch clips 17, 17. 'When the iron 12 is placedv on the stand, the hood member l 42 fits over the hood portion 23 of the casing 15a and the male members 43, 43 register in the sockets 26, 26 and push down simultaneously on the push rods 35, 35 thus causing the block 32 to move downward These contact memand compress the spring This releases the pressure of the flat blade spring 33 against the cross piece 31 and causes the coil spring 38 to move down below the line of centers 46 and pull downward on the rear ends of the switch blades forcing the forward ends into contact with the switch clips thus connecting the switch blades to the electric supply and conducting current through said blades through the sockets 26, 26 and 43, 43 to the iron. lt will be noted that the block 32 will move downward without tilting about the bolt 33 only if equal downward pressure is brought to bear on both of its ends simultaneously by the simultaneous action of the contact members 43, 43 against the contact members 35, 35. Should one in any manner seek to insert any foreign member into one of the sockets 26, 26, its pressure against the contact members 35, 35 acting only on one end of the block 32 will merely cause it to jam against the other end without loperating the spring 34. Or, if two foreign members are inserted, one in each of the sockets 26, 26, with unequal pressure, there would likewise result no lcompression of the spring 34 such as to force the switch blades into contact with the switch clips in the manner hereinbefore described. Ther spring 40 provides a very effective quick` make and quick-break mechanism. As will be readily understood, the position of this spring with reference to the line of centers 46, drawn through the pivotal center of the switch blades and the attaching point of the spring is controlling as to whether the switch bladesi'are 4in or out of Contact with the switch clips. Thus, when the spring 40 is above this line of centers 46, an upward turning movement acts upon the switch blades about their pivotal axis to snap into contact with the switch clips and vice versa. When the spring is below this line of centers 46, a downward turning movement acts upon the switch blades about their pivotal axis to snap out of contact. with the switch clips. It will also be noted that the displacement of the spring relative to this line of centers necessary to thus operate the switch vblades is very minute and small in comparison with the travel upward or downward of the members 35, 35 to bring about the corresponding displacement of the spring. In consequence, when the iron is placed on the stand, the members 35, 35 are not alive before the members 43, 43 contact therewith and vice versa, when the iron is re moved from the stand, the members 35, 35 are dead before the members 43, 43 move out of contact therewith. Thus, any arcing at the contacts between the male Contact on the iron 43 and the stand terminals or contact members 35, 35 is eliminated.

It will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the several objects of sol mentes this invention 'are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the most severe conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that ally matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 4 ters Patent l. ln an electric heating stand for electric irons and the like apparatus, an automatic switch for connecting the electric supply to 'the iron comprising a pair of contact members connected to the electric supply, a pair of switch members, actuating means tor said switch members adapted to electrically7 conneet the same to said contact members, and means for preventing the operation of one of said switch members independently of the other.

2. ln an electricheating .stand for electric irons and the like apparatus, an'automatie switch tor connecting the electric sup-` ply to the iron comprising a pair of contact members connected to the electric supply, a pair of switch members, actuating means Jr'or said switch members adapted to electrically connect the same to said contact member,

. and means torpreventing the operation of being adapted to be operated by said contacts on the iron when placed upon the stand to actuate said switch mechanism.

4. ln combination with .an electric sad iron or the like apparatus having contact members thereon, an electric heating stand for said ironl comprising a support, an automatic switch mechanism for connecting the electric supply to the iron comprising a casing, means within said casing for connecting said stand to the electrical supply and means adapted to' be operated by contact members on the iron for connecting the latter to the supply when the iron is placed on the stand, said means comprising socket members adapted(i to receive said contact, `members on the iron and members movable within' said sockets and in actuating connection with said switch mechanism and adapted to be operated by said contacts on the iron to actuate said switch mechanism.

5. ln combination with an electric sad iron or the-like apparatus having contact members thereon, an electric heat-ing stand comprising a support for the sad iron, arr

automatic switch for connecting the electricsupply to the iron comprising a pair of con` tact members connected to the electric sup-` ply, a pair of switch members, actuating means for said switch members adapted to"Y electrically connect the same to said contact members, and means for preventing the operation of one yof said switch members independently of the other, said means comprising an equalizer member pivoted to said actuating meansand adapted to' operate to connect the switch blades to the contact members when depressed by said actuating means, said actuating means comprising movable members adapted to be operated by said contact members on the iron..

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this i 27th day of March, A. D. 1920.

ART J. sHinK. SOLOMON. COHEN. 

